THERE'S no doubt about it, Bygone days readers enjoy viewing old photographs that are published each week.

One reader who never gets 'fed-up' of seeing the images commented, 'Keep em coming'.

One of the best places to view photographs of the town from days gone by is the Local Studies Library at Long Street. Over the years the archive has accumulated thousands of photographs, most have information relating to events or scenes.

Sometimes photos have been donated to the library without information. This week we have published a selection of these snaps that have little or no information.

Can you identify the date, event, people and place? If you have information relating to the images Middleton library would like to hear from you.

Phone 0161 643 5338 and ask for Maria Payne or Pat Elliot in the reference section.

Alternately contact can be made online at http://libraries.rochdale.gov.uk

Photographs with numbers (1) and (2) have no information. Townsfolk pose for the camera outside the Devonshire Arms, (3) is this Derbyshire or Bolton Abbey in Yorkshire?

Number (4) is believed to be the Military Hospital that was stationed at the Providence United Reform Church, Market Place during the First World War.

Liz Cooper contacted Bygone days with this family photograph (5) She would like to know the location. My guess would is the building in the background is the Black Bull, Rochdale Road, with Clough Road in the foreground?

Last month a postcard arrived (6) from Whitely Bay, Tyneside.

The scene was the interior of a church marked, 'Middleton'. The sender commented, 'But which one?' There are 23 towns listed under Middleton in the UK.

Was the image on this old postcard our Parish church? Bygone days wasted no time in contacting our expert on St Leonard's, Colin Gilbert.

"Without a doubt," was his first statement. On close inspection Colin pointed to a row of carved stone heads (6a) that was once part of the roof supports. All of the beautifully carved heads have been removed, this was done during the roof renovation.

Colin has been researching the history of this ancient building for a number of years. One of the town's respected dignitaries once said: "Colin Gilbert is passionate about his church, he is determined to seek out its origins."

Another interesting feature that is clearly visible is the gas lighting.

Colin commented: "The church had a number of lights with a three jet cluster mounted at the top of a gas pipe, they were not very efficient, just a flickering flame."

Researcher Doreen El Ahwany confirmed this. Recently she unearthed a statement that was published in this newspaper almost 100 years ago. It read: "Complaints by parishioners that the gas lighting in the church was very poor."

Next week we feature a pub that was once on Long Street. A feature of the building was a grotesque mask that was painted black and was set into the brickwork above the entrance door, can you name the pub?